Review of Hamlet 2 (2008) by Archibald T — 22 Mar 2011

Dana is a high school drama teacher at West Mesa High. He was once a failed actor, starring in small cameo roles such as Xena: Warrior Princess and He once did a commercial for Herpes. Like most failed actors they go to the place where dreams go to die, Tucson, Arizona. He taught two bright students who were the only one's that took his course seriously and used the both of them to stage unsuccessful school plays based on Hollywood films (one of which was Eric Brockovich.).

When another school year roles around, Dana discovers a wide range of latino students taking his course. They are forced to take his class due to the school's cut backs in the elective arts area. So, he's forced into a Dangerous Minds type of situation here, trying to get the students to get involved until he finds out that the drama department will be shut down. The only way Dana can prevent that from happening is if he pulls off his "masterpiece".

Dana, however, is a truly psychological mess of a man. He shoots blanks which is why his wife leaves him for the guy who is living with them, his own father doesn't support him in what he does and he has a huge Elisabeth Shue fetish (she plays herself which was actually pretty fun to watch).

The whole film is mainly about Dana pulling off his sequel to Hamlet which he does and despite the people who see it as controversial to have a song called 'Rock Me Sexy Jesus' he does get some who are really okay with it. I kind of liked this film for three things: 1. Steve Coogan playing a really messed up Drama teacher and 2. The two students who take his drama class are really fun to watch. 3. Elisabeth Shue acting as a version of herself. The other characters lingered there as simple stereotypical characters from other high school based films. I can see if that's simply for satire, but I could fucking careless if it was since none of them weren't at all interesting. It really throws off the films balance at times.

Aside from some of the stereotypical characters, the last act of the film really makes up for it in a small way, but overall an okay comedy at best.